The Country Music Media Podcast

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: A mid-year diversity scorecard. Plus, country media showed rare patience in covering a charged story and two feel good stories to wrap Season 1 of the podcast. Listen: Walker Hayes, “Fancy Like” on YouTube Watch: Hardy Surprises a Soldier’s Family on Instagram Read: The Police Report Summarizing the Kristy Lee and Heath Sanders Altercation on Taste of Country Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: CRB Executive Director RJ Curtis, who’s spent 40 years in radio and digital media, talks about how a fundamental radio rule has seemingly changed and tries to explain why. Plus, is Morgan Wallen’s return to radio good for the medium? He makes a strong case that it is. More: The latest on CRS Read: Morgan Wallen's Ban Has Quietly Been Lifted, at Variety Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Kid Rock plays above the rules, so there’s no way to hold him accountable for calling someone a “f—-t.” That lack of leverage works both ways however and the media should absolutely cover his antics with aggression. Also, new reports about frosty negotiations between CBS and the ACMs could signal a larger issue for awards shows in 2022 and beyond. Read: CBS Balks at Airing 2022 Academy of Country Music Awards Over $22 Million Asking Price at The Wrap. Read: Kid Rock's "Apology" after he's caught using a homophobic slur, at TMZ. Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Whiskey Jam co-founder Ward Guenther talks about the 10th anniversary of Whiskey Jam, if the showcase can get too big (12:45) and how his shows on Apple Music Radio expand his vision (XX). Listen to the end to hear great origin stories about Luke Combs and Kane Brown that will surprise you. GO: Tickets to the Whiskey Jam 10th Anniversary Show, July 26th at the Ryman Auditorium Listen: The Ward Guenther Show on Apple Music Radio Listen: Country Risers Radio With Ward Guenther on Apple Music Radio Listen: Country Roads Radio on Apple Music Radio More: Find Whiskey Jam on Instagram Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: The 2021 CMT Awards were the first country awards show shot in front of a live audience, but did that make much of a difference? Which songs should have been cut (2:30)? How did hosts Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini do (4:10)? How can we improve awards shows to keep them relevant (XX)? Read: 2021 CMT Awards winners, per People. Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast, Washington Post reporter Emily Yahr talks about her profile on Garth Brooks ahead of the Kennedy Center Honors. Plus (18:00) astute observations about the 2021 season of American Idol and (21:00) The Voice. Read: Everyone wants Garth Brooks on their side. He just wants everyone to get along, at the Washington Post. Read: 'The Voice winner is a former tween YouTube sensation - and he could change the show forever at the Washington Post. Read: This season of 'American Idol' was a close competition - until one very strategic move by the winner, at the Washington Post. Tweet: Find Emily Yahr on Twitter at @EmilyYahr Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter at @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast, why Kelly Clarkson earning Ellen DeGeneres’ time slot is very, very good news for country music. Plus, could Luke Bryan and his family be slowly warming us up for a major reality television show? Read: Kelly Clarkson takes over for Ellen at Deadline Read: Kelly Clarkson’s Kellyoke Songs by Wide Open Country Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: does objectivity exist in country music media? Should it? Marcus Dowling just won the Rolling Stone Chet Flippo Award for Excellence in Country Music and it’s fair to say he did it his way. He talks about his unusual path here, his tireless hustle, his rock star impulses and how and when news outlets should cover Morgan Wallen. 5:15 | “I write like rapper’s rap.” 15:00 | What the winner of the Chet Flippo Award gets in 2021 16:15 | The Rock Star Journalist 22:00 | What’s the deal with Medium for journalists? 29:00 | When should news outlets cover Morgan Wallen? 42:00 | Is it time to lift the ban? 52:30 | Luke Combs' attempts to do the right thing. Read: "On Colostomies, Country Music, And Morgan Wallen’s Return" at Medium Tweet: Find Marcus Dowling on Twitter @marcuskdowling Photos: Find Marcus Dowling on Instagram More: Marcus Dowling's LinkTree

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: a recent decision by the Country Music Association made it clear. What was once a conversation about Morgan Wallen and race in country music, is becoming a fight. It's time for media outlets and music platforms to change course. Plus, what is news and what is hype when it comes to Morgan and other sensitive subjects? Read: Morgan Wallen returns to Kid Rock's bar, per the Tennessean. Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @BillyDukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Journalist Alison Bonaguro helps us understand Jake Owen and why his best days might be ahead of him. She also talks about her mentor, the late journalism legend Chet Flippo, and why she left CMT after over a decade of work. 2:00 | The Jake Owen paradox 18:00 | Getting paid as a country journalist 22:00 | Chet Flippo 31:00 | Why she split from CMT Find Alison Bonaguro on Twitter @alisonbonaguro Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @BillyDukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Apple Music Country host Kelleigh Bannen was still finding her way when we chatted in November 2020. The platform is nearing its 1-year anniversary and she continues to get every A-lister imaginable. Eric Church and Alan Jackson are just two she's chatted with recently. Host Billy Dukes is on vacation this week so this is a replay of Ep. 9. She may not be a trained journalist, but the singer and songwriter has the chops and grit to be very, very good at this job for awhile. The Kelleigh Bannen Show, M-F at 7AM Follow Kelleigh on Twitter, @KelleighBannen Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @BillyDukes We talked about my reviews of her song "Famous" and "Sorry On the Rocks." Find her other podcast, This Nashville Life.

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: country music isn't just going to Hollywood? Our genre is going to New York City and Las Vegas as well. But why? Plus: 2:30 | Kane Brown + Kelsea Ballerini are the Perfect Fit 4:00 | A new country music drama, called Monarch. 9:05 | Be cautious reporting on American Idol's Caleb Kennedy Read: Fox orders Monarch for the 2021-22 season per Variety Read: Caleb Kennedy dropped from American Idol, from the Spartanburg Herald-Tribune Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter at @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: It's the Q2 2021 Stock Report. If country artists were a publicly traded business, which would be worth your money this month. With new albums and tours on the horizon there is a lot to consider but perhaps most of all consider who is not doing anything. Kenny Chesney - Hold Luke Bryan - Buy Morgan Wallen - Sell Dan + Shay - Hold Miranda Lambert - Sell Maren Morris - Buy Carrie Underwood - Hold Jason Aldean - Buy Blake Shelton - Buy Eric Church - Sell Thomas Rhett - Buy Luke Combs - Hold Sam Hunt - Buy Top 3 Hot Picks: Cody Johnson - Buy Gabby Barrett - Buy Jake Owen - Buy Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter at @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: A one-word review of Miranda Lambert's The Marfa Tapes album with Jon Randall and Jack Ingram, Morgan Wallen's BBMA expulsion and unpacking some of the important moments from the Ep 55 conversation with Tyler Mahan Coe. Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter at @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Tyler Mahan Coe, host of Cocaine & Rhinestones talks about Season 2, which debuted in April 2021. He also has strong, well-educated opinions on country today and country media today. It will surprise you to hear his thoughts on "Outlaws" and "pop-country." 5:50 | Where did Tyler learn his journalism skills. 11:50 | Why Johnny Cash sucks 14:55 | Tyler’s take on the pop-country music debate is unique and hard to argue with 18:10 | The sound of today’s country music isn’t the problem 22:10 | Teasing Ep. 2 of Season 2 of C&R 33:10 | How involved is George Jones’ family? 38:10 | The Johnny Paycheck misunderstanding 43:10 | Criticism is dead 48:10 | Tyler’s first career in digital marketing 55:25 | Tyler Mahan Coe’s guide to Fair Use More Cocaine & Rhinestones: Find More on Seasons 1 and 2 at the official website Read: Tyler Mahan' Coe's profile in GQ Read: Tyler Mahan Coe's profile in the Washington Post Tweet: Find Tyler Mahan Coe on Twitter at @TylerMahanCoe Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter at @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Kip Moore dropped a new song called "Good Life" that asks his long time fans to adjust to something new. Plus Rascal Flatts may not be done and how a bad band or song name can doom the artist. Alabama simply wouldn't stand a chance today. Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes Listen: Kip Moore, "Good Life" on YouTube Listen: Tenille Arts, "Somebody Like That" on YouTube Watch: Alexandra Kay covering Randy Travis on TikTok

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Eric Church's new Heart & Soul album is big and personal, but is it any good? Three members of the media join Billy Dukes to discuss the triple album project, including Angella Sharpe, Marty Kurtz and Grady Smith. 2:27 | Angella Sharpe on Heart 20:30 | Marty Kurtz on & 39:23 | Grady Smith on Soul Read: The Top 50 Eric Church Songs on Taste of Country Tweet: Find Angella Sharpe on Twitter at @AngellaSharpe Tweet: Find Marty Kurtz on Twitter at @marty_kurtz Tweet: Find Grady Smith on Twitter at @gradywsmith Watch: Grady Smith's YouTube Channel Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

The ACM Awards were great, for country music fans. But for everyone else? Well, the 2021 ACM’s poor ratings showed that there just wasn’t much for the non-country audience, which is a problem. This week we look at ways the genre can grow without losing its soul. Change doesn’t have to be scary. 1:20 | What the ACM Awards got right and wrong 5:00 | Diversity at the 2021 ACM Awards 6:30 | Ratings are becoming a big problem 9:05 | Here’s how to solve it Read: Why Luke Bryan Deserved Entertainer of the Year at Taste of Country Read: 2021 ACM Awards Ratings, via Hollywood Reporter. Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Chart expert Chris Owen explains what needs to happen for Elle King’s duet with Miranda Lambert to hit country radio. It’s complicated and takes some major label cooperation. Is it likely? Also, the truth about corporate programming and how it might have cost Hunter Hayes his commercial career. On the flip side how Lainey Wilson’s “Thinks A Man Oughta Know” benefited from corporate programming. Chris and Billy also discuss why you can figure out the year’s most played song in April, Brian Kelley’s solo EP and what the heck happened to Jamey Johnson? Listen: Elle King + Miranda Lambert, "Drunk (And I Wanna Go Home)" Listen: Chris picks Caitlyn Smith (Feat. Old Dominion), “Stars” Listen: Billy picks Heath Sanders, “Old School’s In” Tweet: Chris Owen on Twitter @fiddlesabre Tweet: Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

Morgan Wallen fans should consider that they might be doing more harm than good. Three signs holding two billboards apiece in Nashville continue pressing on a bruise in the country music industry that hasn’t had enough time to heal properly. Read: Who Paid for the Morgan Wallen Billboards? at Rolling Stone Read: The original story at Music Mayhem Magazine Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter